CHOBSESSION
by 7x7chan
Summary: Entering their sixth year, our trio faces their new challenge! A... play? Ron likes Cho! Colin's stalking Hermione? Harry's confused... RR! plz RR!
1. In The Picture

Chapter 1: In the Picture  
  
Harry's sixth year at Hogwarts School for Witchcraft & Wizardry started off normal with the trip to Daigon Alley where he met his two best friends, Ron and Hermione after the two month summer break.  
  
Harry made his was through Daigon Alley, to see if one of them had already arrived. He spotted Ron, sitting in front of Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlour.  
  
"Hey mate! Finally made it? Good to see you again!" waved Ron. Harry sat down next to him.  
  
"Good to see you too. Where's the rest of your family?" he asked.  
  
Ron grinned "Fred and George wanted to show them their joke shop. Pretty cool, eh?" Harry nodded. Suddenly, he heard a voice calling his name.  
  
"HARRY! Oh Harry, it's so wonderful to see you again! I was so worried!" cried Hermione when she saw him. Harry stood up and Hermione hugged him. "I really WAS worried, but it seems you're okay!" she said, before releasing him. Harry grinned. "Oh, hello to you, too." said Hermione, without paying much attention to their red-haired friend. Ron sniffed.  
  
Harry knew Ron was cruel to Hermione sometimes and she responded scathingly to him as well. Though, for some reason, Harry seemed to think Ron actually liked her more as a friend, though Harry doubted Hermione didn't know. It was quite obvious. Hermione, on the other hand, didn't seem to have any other affection for Ron but friendship. Harry was quite done with relationships personally. Last year, he had a crush on the black haired Ravenclaw seeker Cho Chang, but she still had been very emotional because of her ex-boyfriend Cedric Diggory dying. Harry should've known it wasn't a right moment for him to get a crush on her; he had been there when Cedric died, so she was really torn between her feelings. At those moments, Harry wanted to be anyone BUT himself. Their relationship hadn't last though, Cho had been too emotional and a bit cruel towards him too; she blamed him for Hermione's actions.  
  
"We need to get some new stuff." Ron unfolded his list and read the new things out loud.  
  
- The Standard Book of Spells, grade 6.  
  
- Sense and See like a Centaur, by Cassandra Vablatsky.  
  
- Perfect Potions for Pesky Persons, by Timothy Croakfield  
  
- Hélas! J'ai Transfiguré mes Pieds! By Malecrit-  
  
"WHAT did you say? Not Malecrit?" asked Hermione surprised.  
  
Ron raised his eyebrows. "What, you've read the wrong book or something?" he asked sarcastically.  
  
Hermione gritted her teeth. "No, you idiot! Malecrit is a wizard who writes plays!"  
  
Ron dropped his jaw. 'No way... we aren't going to...' he closed his mouth again.  
  
"Let's get the books, then." decided Harry.  
  
After they got their new books they went to the Leaky Cauldron, to drink some Butter Beer. The Leaky Cauldron was crowded with people, as usual; weird looking witches, old wizards and other sorts of people were talking, drinking and discussing the latest news from behind their Quibblers and Daily Prophets. Ron, Harry, and Hermione sat down and ordered three Butter Beers.  
  
Ron looked at the front page of the Daily Prophet a wizard was holding it in front his pointy nose. "D'you reckon they will send guards to Hogwarts again? You know, with all the You-know-Who rumours lately,.." Ron asked frowning, while taking a large sip of his Butter Beer.  
  
"What's going on lately, then?" asked Harry curious.  
  
Hermione frowned, "You haven't been getting the Daily Prophet, have you?" Harry shook his head. "Well, Durmstrang has been under attack by Giants. Nobody knows the true reason, but they say their Professor Karkaroff has something to do with it... Viktor wrote me all about it." Explained Hermione.  
  
"He's still in school!?!? But he's like... what? 19!?" laughed Ron.  
  
Hermione didn't throw him a destroying glare, but blushed a bit. "Yeah...well... he isn't that far behind... he just takes his time... and he is in his last year..." Behind her back, Ron just rolled with his eyes. Harry couldn't help but grin. Hermione cleared her throat. "Anyway, some of the Durmstrang students will be transferred to Hogwarts, due the fact some parents don't consider their school as 'safe' anymore." added Hermione, surveying a large crowd of people walking in.  
  
"Vicky won't be coming to Hogwarts, will he?" Ron asked in a teasing voice.  
  
Hermione took a zip of her Butter Beer. "As a matter of fact, he is." she said plainly. Ron fell silent.  
  
Before either of them could say anything, a quick flash of bright light blinded them. When the spots finally disappeared in front of Harry's eyes, he saw a grinning Colin Creevey, with his huge camera. "Hi Harry! How was your summer? I bet you did loads of wicked things! You still got your Firebolt? I'm really excited about taking pictures of you on that broom again!" he rattled; now turning to Ron. "Hi Ron, what's up? I heard your brothers opened a joke shop? Awesome, I can't wait to check it out! Bet they make-" He fell silent at the sight of Hermione.  
  
Hermione stared at him, raising her eyebrows. "What?" she asked.  
  
Colin didn't do anything for a second, then, he grabbed his camera and said "Smile for me, baby!" while clicking away.  
  
Now it was their turn to fall silent. Colin was taking pictures of Hermione from every single angle. "Colin... uh... that's Hermione..." informed Ron.  
  
Colin paused, "I know, isn't she gorgeous?" then to Hermione: "Work with me luv, your head a few inches to the right...wonderful!"  
  
Harry didn't know whether to consider this as funny or not while Hermione seemed to be getting rather irritated. "Colin, I want to drink my Butter Beer normally and I want to talk with my friends without you interrupting!" she snapped.  
  
Colin nodded, "Of course luv..." he took a few steps back and positioned his camera in front of his eye again. ". That way I'll be able to take pictures of the more 'natural' you"  
  
Before Hermione could actually do what she was planning to do (hitting him with her book 'There's a Muggle in All of Us', which was about 800 pages), another student from Hogwarts passed by; Cho Chang.  
  
"Colin! Make a picture of her!" suggested Ron, pointing at Cho. Harry raised his eyebrows in surprise. "What?" Ron asked while his ears reddened. "I just want a picture of her!" he snapped.  
  
Harry raised his eyebrows even more and Hermione frowned. "To do what?" she asked, while crossing her arms.  
  
Ron's face turned red too. "Uh. just to have... you know, I collect them..." he said quickly.  
  
Hermione raised her eyebrows as well. "Collect what? Photo's of Cho?"  
  
Ron hid his face behind a magazine (The Quibbler, which he held upside down). "No... not just Cho..."  
  
But Hermione wasn't satisfied with his answer. "Not just Cho... you mean you collect pictures of girls?" she asked suspiciously.  
  
"Yes!,...NO! Wait! Yeah... I mean NO!" corrected Ron quickly.  
  
Hermione sat back and surveyed him. "Hmmm... so you don't collect pictures of Cho, you don't collect pictures of girls, but you want a picture of Cho because you collect them?" she frowned.  
  
Ron sank deeper in his chair, now only his hair was visible from behind the Quibbler. Colin frowned. "So what do I do? Take the picture or leave it? I'd say leave it, and then I have more film for darling Hermione, who looks absolutely stunning. She makes Cho look like a nasty virus." He grabbed his camera and made a few more pictures of Hermione.  
  
It was getting pretty late, so Hermione decided to go to her room. When Colin followed her with his camera, she turned around. "NO Colin, you CAN'T take pictures of me while I'm sleeping!" she snapped, before going up the stairs.  
  
"Well, she's had a tough day... all those photo shoots... night!" Colin shrugged before leaving.  
  
Harry and Ron laughed. They fell silent when Cho walked passed their table. Ron turned red and Harry frowned. "What's up with you?" he asked.  
  
Ron turned red even more. "I...I think I really like her..." whispered Ron.  
  
Harry raised his eyebrows. "Who? Cho?" he asked bemused. Ron nodded. Harry dropped his mug. "You're not serious... are you?" he asked.  
  
Ron nodded "I'm afraid... I am...." Harry didn't know whether to laugh real hard or to disapprove it. His feelings were a bit mixed. Ron stood up. "You probably think it's really funny... don't you?" he asked suspiciously.  
  
"No, no! It's just... well, I thought you always liked Hermione..." he said quickly.  
  
Ron sighed. "I did. But she doesn't really like me, now does she? I can't keep a crush on a girl that would never look at me..." Harry frowned. Like Cho would ever look at Ron. Like any girl would ever look at Ron. Harry knew it wasn't right to think that way, but somehow he knew he was right. He just smiled at Ron, very weakly. Ron shook his head. "I'm off to bed too. See you tomorrow." And with that, he too went to his room. 


	2. The Way to Play

Note: Sorry for the delay, I'm drowning in homework, but I won't drop the story! Don't be afraid! It's just not going to be updated every day. And thank you for the sweet reviews already! I really love to read your comments.  
  
Chapter 2: The way to play  
  
Harry awoke with the strange feeling, but wasn't morning at all. One look out of the window, over Daigon Alley, told him his feeling had been correct; the sun had not yet risen. He grabbed his glasses and put them on, picking up one of his new school books and went to bed again.  
  
He yawned while reading the summary to 'Hélas! J'ai Transfiguré mes Pieds!' It was indeed a play like Hermione had predicted. Harry frowned, he had never heard of a play or such at Hogwarts before... three knocks. Harry looked at the door. It was way too early; it couldn't be someone knocking on his- three knocks.  
  
Harry put away the book, got up and opened the door with a puzzled expression.  
  
There, in front of him, stood Hermione, complete with a hopelessly tired face and messed up hair.  
  
"Hermione? It's not even morning..." said Harry surprised.  
  
Hermione sighed. "I know its 4 o'clock and all, but I CAN'T SLEEP!!"  
  
Harry raised his eyebrows "How come?"  
  
Hermione brushed some of her hair out of her face. "When I say 'camera', what's the first thing that comes to your mind?' she asked, slightly annoyed by the subject.  
  
Harry frowned. "I thought he'd let you sleep?" replied Harry, while stepping aside so she could enter. Hermione sat down on his bed.  
  
"The nut probably changed his mind, popped his head around my door and scared the hell out of me," she paused to pick Harry's book up. "So I said that I needed to go to the bathroom and when I passed your room I thought this would be my temporary hideout. Luckily you were awake." She smiled. Harry sat down next to her. "Have you been reading this?" asked Hermione, opening 'Hélas! J'ai Transfiguré mes Pieds!'  
  
Harry shook his head. "Only the summary, it seems pretty weird."  
  
Hermione skipped to the page where all the parts were listed. "Here, take a look at this," she suggested while handing over the book.  
  
Harry read out loud; "Quizar the evil Phantom, Madelin the beautiful Witch, Germond the great Sorcerer ..." Harry frowned "There are too many parts for just us sixth-years, d'you reckon there are also other years involved?" he asked.  
  
Hermione shrugged "I don't believe Ginny had this book, but sin-" Hermione got cut off by the door that slammed open.  
  
Before either of them could realize what was happening, they were blinded by several flashed of light.  
  
The door closed before Hermione could throw Harry's pillow at Colin.  
  
"How was your night then?" asked Ron as the three of them walked down the stairs into the café.  
  
"Absolutely wonderful!" gritted Hermione, her eyes looked around the café and spotted Colin and his brother Dennis. Colin waved at her and she threw him a death glare.  
  
The three of them had just started breakfast when Ginny, Mrs. Weasley and Mr. Weasley came walking in. Because Harry and Hermione had missed them yesterday, they greeted them and offered them chairs at their table.  
  
Harry got overloaded with questions; "Did you use a tellyfoon lately?" asked Mr. Weasley, while shaking his hand.  
  
"Oh, Arthur, please, CAN'T you see the boy is starved?" Mrs. Weasley looked at Harry, worried she added; "You haven't eaten properly lately?"  
  
"I'm alright, I'm not starving, I've been eating quite much lately and no, I haven't used the telephone lately."  
  
Breakfast was rather quiet; every one of them seemed to be quite sleepy. After they finished, Mrs. Weasley announced they would be leaving for the within two hours.  
  
Harry went up to his room, but stopped walking when he saw someone standing right in front of his door.  
  
It was Cho.  
  
She was deeply concentrated in her version of 'Hélas! J'ai Transfiguré mes Pieds!' and didn't seem to notice Harry was standing there. He suddenly realized this must mean that the seventh years were also doing the play. After she had turned the page, she walked passed him, still not noticing him. Harry walked towards his door and was just about to open it, when he saw Cho bump into Ron.  
  
Both of them fell to the floor. Ron became a deep scarlet color as he stood up and handed her the book back. Cho blushed a bit and whispered "Sorry, not paying attention" as Ron read the title of the book. "W-we have the s- same play..." he stumbled. Cho quickly smiled and walked on. Behind her back, Ron grinned widely.  
  
Harry had the feeling something wasn't right about what just happened. It had been Ron, not him, talking to Cho. Ron never talked to Cho... Harry sighed. Maybe it was all getting a bit too complicated for him. Colin with his crush on Hermione, Ron with his crush on Cho... and what about him? Who did he like? Certainly, not Cho... right? And surely not Hermione. But who else was there? Ginny? Perhaps, Luna? Harry shook his head. Maybe he wasn't really in the mood to have a crush. He quickly entered his room and packed his trunk.  
  
It wasn't very crowded at King's Cross Station when they arrived in Mr. Weasley's 'new' secondhand car. They said goodbye to Mr. and Mrs. Weasley and made their way onto Platform Nine and Three Quarters. The Hogwarts Express was already there and they got in, except for Ginny, who was talking to some of her friends.  
  
Hermione sat down next to the window and opened her 'Hélas! J'ai Transfiguré mes Pieds!' while Harry and Ron started a conversation about Quidditch.  
  
After a while, Hermione put the book down and frowned. "Did you two read the story?" she asked. Ron shook his head. She sighed deeply and replied; "It's not just a play... it's... weird." Harry and Ron both raised their eyebrows in question. "Well... it's about an evil phantom who takes over the factory that makes wizard's hats. The hats get cursed and everyone who wears them gets transfigured feet. Their feet turns into toads... can you imagine? So then, this one girl puts on three hats at the same time, causing her to turn into a toad from head to toe. The only way to get the feet and the girl back is to defeat the evil phantom. Then there's this Quidditch champion who gets to save them all..." she finished. Harry opened his book as well and read the first page. "I can't believe they are actually letting us do this... I don't think they want us to play, maybe it's just an example for-" he was interrupted by a loud voice;  
  
"Fear not, for I shall conquer this evil power! Trust my words, the feet will come back!"  
  
The three of them recognized the voice of Draco Malfoy, who just opened the door.  
  
"Shut up, Malfoy!" snapped Ron immediately.  
  
Draco raised one eyebrow. "I was just practicing MY part in the play, you should practice too, but come to think of it... as a donkey, you won't have that many lines to remember..." Draco smirked.  
  
"What do you mean YOUR part? Nobody's got a part yet!" demanded Hermione.  
  
Draco crossed his arms. "Well, not officially, of course, but it's obvious I will be Germond the great Sorcerer, the Quidditch Champion, that is."  
  
Harry threw him a hateful look "I'm sure that's impossible..."  
  
Draco frowned "Why's that, Potty? D'you think YOU are going to-"  
  
"No, it's impossible, because you were already casted as Ferret..."  
  
Draco drew his wand instantly, but before he could attack, a hand grabbed his shoulder and a voice said; "Mister Malfoy, would you put that away please? For if you forgot the most important rule; No magic outside the class. And certainly NOT in the Hogwarts Express. Get moving."  
  
Draco moved out of the way, the person behind him stepped inside.  
  
All three of them dropped their jaws. There, in front of them, stood Remus Lupin. 


	3. DADA teacher uncovered

Another delay, again, the homework. I'm so sorry. I wish there wasn't such a place called school. Sigh. Please, keep on reviewing. Maybe that'll make me write faster. And Aramas, so sweet that you got so much patience with my work.  
  
Chapter 3:  
  
"Hello Harry... Hermione, Ron..." smiled Lupin, while sitting down next to Hermione. He opened his suitcase and revealed a Defence against the Dark Arts book. The same as they bought in Diagon Alley.  
  
Harry read the title out loud and looked from Ron to Hermione. Hermione narrowed her eyes in thought.  
  
"Are you going to teach us?" asked Ron prompted. Lupin nodded.  
  
Hermione widened her eyes and put down her book. "This year? Us? At Hogwarts? But, what about your 'other' self... I mean, has everyone agreed? And even so, will the parents agree? Don't get me wrong, but I'm really worried, what if they... I don't know... hurt you?" she overloaded him with worries.  
  
"It's been taken care of. My 'other' self, as you call it... I've got an antidote." Lupin smiled.  
  
Hermione frowned. "An antidote? Where did you get that from? I never heard anything about an antidote against-"  
  
"That is because it's newly discovered. For your information, Professor Snape has been working all summer to figure out an antidote. It's alright; it really has been taken care off." He assured her.  
  
Harry made a coughing sound. "Snape?" Ron sniffed his nose. "You actually believe that greasy haired git? I'm sure he made an antidote... one that'll make you a whole less alive!"  
  
Lupin put down his book and shook his head. "Still not fond of Professor Snape these days? I can't blame you. He stays, like you said, a greasy haired git, but Dumbledore trusts him. And I do trust him, since he works for the Order."  
  
Ron narrowed his eyes. "Maybe he's a spy!"  
  
Lupin didn't reply, but just gave him a warning look.  
  
After a while, Harry and Ron got up and bought some candy. When they returned to their seats, Hermione was telling Lupin all about her view on the unforgivable curses.  
  
"... but I'm sure, that when someone's under Imperius, that someone will be able to reject to do what's told. We studied it in our fourth year. There is no defense against Imperius but to say no, is there?" Hermione asked, while turning a page in their new DADA book.  
  
"You're right again, Hermione. Ever considered a job as Auror?" Lupin asked interested.  
  
"... Not exactly. I'm not sure what I want." She shrugged, turning another page.  
  
"You certainly need DADA to become an Auror, right?" asked Harry, while handing over the bag of Betty's all flavoured beans. Lupin took a dangerous looking red one, stuck it in his mouth and smiled, "Strawberry ... and to answer your question; yes, you need to pass that subject indeed."  
  
The trip to Hogwarts continued without any more visits from Malfoy. Even Colin seemed to forget his obsession with Hermione, which gave her a chance to relax a little. Harry looked forward to see the castle again and couldn't wait, but until then, Professor Lupin was great company; he seemed to know exactly what was going to happen this year, and they didn't hesitate to overflow him with questions.  
  
"Professor, what do you know about the play?" Hermione asked, breaking a cauldron cake in half to share it with Harry. Lupin chuckled amused. "I am not allowed to tell you..." Ron frowned "Come on! This is not the Triwizard tournament! It can't be that big of a secret!"  
  
"Well, Ron, even if you don't believe me, the school play is a tradition, once in every five years, and it's even more popular that the Triwizard Tournament." Lupin smiled vaguely.  
  
"So? Does that mean it has to remain a secret? How will we ever play then? Without knowing?" Ron frowned.  
  
"Dumbledore's going to explain." Finished Lupin, now focusing on his book again.  
  
Harry stared out of the window. Whatever this play was going to be, he was sure to have a great time. A great time. It sounded so easy, though every time he had fun, he remembered also the pain. The loss of Sirius, the death of Cedric... and there would be more. But he shouldn't think of that right now. This year was going to be whatever he made of it, and it was certainly not becoming more dreadful than last year.  
  
They arrived at Hogwarts station sooner than expected.  
  
"I wonder... what is their goal?" asked Hermione, while finding a place at the Gryffindor table. "What do you mean, goal? Not everything has to have a goal, it's just for fun!" replied Ron. Harry sat down next to Ron, across Hermione. "Probably. But what's the point? We could use that time to study." She frowned. Harry narrowed his eyes and surveyed Snape, who was walking over to the Head table.  
  
"Oh, Harry, could you stop looking so hateful at people? It really ruins your face." Said a voice from behind Harry and Ron. They turned around and saw Luna Lovegood.  
  
"Luna? Er... hi to you too." Harry frowned. Hermione smiled at her and Ron rolled his eyes.  
  
"So, you get to do a play. I wish I could. Though I prefer to read. I would love to write a play..." Luna said vaguely, while passing their table, waving at Ginny.  
  
"Sometimes I think my family is weird, but I'm sure her family is even more than weird." Said Ron, while turning to Hermione again.  
  
Hermione frowned. "Luna might be weird, but she isn't stupid."  
  
Ron coughed. "Right, it's normal to read papers the other side around, I forgot!"  
  
Dumbledore entered the Great Hall and walked to the Head table. He turned to the students and cleared his throat. The Hall fell silent. "I'd like to welcome all of you, boys, girls, living and..." his eye fell on Peeves "... not so living, to another Hogwarts year. Before we start with the food, I'd like to announce that the sixth and seventh years among us will perform a school play on Christmas Eve." He paused and surveyed the now loudly talking hall.  
  
Dumbledore cleared his throat once more. "Now, auditions will be tomorrow. Don't be afraid, we don't expect you to know any of the lines... you will be chosen in a different way... Now, enough with the talking! Bring in the food!" Dumbledore waved his wand and immediately all golden plates filled with delicious looking food.  
  
"I don't want to play!" said a voice from the left of Harry. It was Neville. "I can't remember the lines!" he added.  
  
"Oh Neville, don't worry! I'm sure there are a lot of parts that don't have that many lines, maybe there are even parts without lines!" Hermione assured him. He smiled weakly.  
  
Harry had just helped himself to some pumpkin pie, when suddenly, the door of the Great Hall slammed open and Professor Lupin, followed by a gang of students, entered.  
  
Dumbledore stood up and clapped his hands. "Everyone, I'd like to welcome Professor Lupin again, for he has returned this year to teach us Defence against the Dark Arts!"  
  
The whole hall fell silent. Harry saw Draco make a face which would easily assure him the part of a Troll. He could hear some students whisper that Lupin was a werewolf and he could hear first years gasp in horror.  
  
Dumbledore smiled. "Now, all of you may know that Professor Lupin is a werewolf."  
  
The first and second years gasped and all the other students widened their eyes, surveying Lupin with fear. Harry smiled and waved at Lupin, as did Ron and Hermione and a few other students. Harry heard Draco say "of course, Potty is a friend of the beast. Did you expect something else? Kind look for a kind..."  
  
Dumbledore threw a few students a warning look and assured "He isn't dangerous, not dangerous at all. He won't attack you..." he paused and turned to a whispering first year "...and no, Butterbee, not even when you are asleep." His gaze met Lupin's and they both nodded.  
  
"Now, the last thing I want to announce, before you all go to your warm beds, is that we have 7 new students in our midst..." he glanced over at the 7 students behind Lupin. "These students are from Durmstrang, which has been attacked by Giants this summer. Now, these 7 students will stay here for their final year at Hogwarts. This has nothing to do with the quality of Durmstrang; it's just that these students feel safer at Hogwarts."  
  
Among the 7 Durmstrang students, was Viktor Krum. Hermione waved at him and he waved back. Ron mouthed something like "Oh, Vicky!" and Harry narrowed his eyes.  
  
Lupin guided the students to the Head table. Dumbledore clapped his hands once more. "The students will be sorted privately. It's time for you to go to bed! Tomorrow, a new year will start!"  
  
Harry stood up, followed by Hermione. Ron, on the other hand, remained seated. His eyes were fixed on a very certain girl. Cho. Hermione didn't notice and walked on, but Harry returned to pull Ron off his seat. "H-Hey! Harry! Let me just... I was finishing my pie!" Ron snapped.  
  
"What pie? We finished eating minutes ago!" replied Harry, dragging him over to Hermione who waited at the entrance.  
  
"HERMIONE! Oh, luv, I thought my life had ended, I though I'd never take a picture of you again!" Colin came rushing down the stairs, towards Hermione.  
  
"Colin, I'd li-" started Hermione.  
  
"No, you don't have to thank me! It's all for free! Now, please, lower your bag a little." Colin interrupted.  
  
"COLIN! I don't-"  
  
"Hermione, please work with me here, or I'll have to come and visit you tonight. And you need your sleep, you know that. Tomorrow's gonna be a loooong day!" advised Colin.  
  
At that point, Hermione couldn't control herself anymore. Furious, she drew her wand and shouted "FLATUS!" 


	4. Creating Crushes

I'm so sorry for the delay! But everything goes so slowly! Writing, beta readen, correcting... and there have been some personal problems. However, I'M NOT DROPPING THE STORY! SO KEEP REVIEWING!!  
  
chapter 4: Creating Crushes  
  
"Hermione! What happened to Colin!?" gasped Ron at the sight of Hermione with her wand pointed out to the place where Colin had stand. Colin was now on the other side of the corridor, looking as struck by lightening but not moving. He seemed to be unconscious.  
  
"He ... he got on my nerves!" Hermione panicked, while running over to Colin. "He's not moving!"  
  
Harry kneeled down beside her and Colin. "Why don't you use the counter spell?" he asked, checking if Colin really was unconscious. Hermione bit her lip.  
  
"Let me guess, you don't know how?" said Ron, crossing his arms, raising one eyebrow.  
  
Hermione sighed. "We can't tell Dumbledore! I'll get expelled if one of the teachers find out!"  
  
Harry frowned. "What do you think we can do about it then? We have to take him with us, before someone sees." he suggested.  
  
Ron clapped his hand against his head and Hermione smiled gratefully.  
  
Surprisingly, no one had noticed the three of them dragging Colin up to the Gryffindor common room. Luckily Hermione knew the password (Toad feet).  
  
"How lucky are we that everyone is stupid enough to read every poster in the corridors first before coming up here? We need to hide him somewhere!" said Ron.  
  
"Oh! How about Moaning Myr-" started Hermione, but Harry cut her off; "Oh no. I know what you want to suggest, but I am NOT going to see her again! Certainly NOT after that night in the prefect's bathroom!"  
  
"What were you doing in the prefect's bathroom?! You're not a-" tried Hermione, but this time, Ron cut her off; "What happened? Did she see you, like, naked!?"  
  
Harry turned scarlet and Hermione clapped her hand in front of her mouth "She didn't! Tell me, she didn't!"  
  
Harry shook his head. "No, though it was a close one. Let's hurry, why don't we put him in the Room of Requirement?"  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
"This sounded like a great idea, but what are we going to do now?" asked Harry, after they had moved Colin (under Harry's invisibility cloak) to the Room of Requirement.  
  
"We've got to find the counter spell! There are loads of books here! I'll try this one." Said Hermione, pointing her wand at Colin.  
  
"Well, THAT obviously didn't work. Failed again ..." said Ron, after Hermione tried for a fifth time.  
  
"I did not fail!" said Hermione furiously, opening another book.  
  
Ron shook his head "Of course not! You just invented 10,000 ways that didn't work!"  
  
Hermione gritted her teeth, and before she could make a reply, Harry cut her off; "Hey, d'you guess anyone's missing us or Colin at the moment?"  
  
Ron shrugged. "Dennis will notice soon. We've got to try and draw attention away," he suggested. Harry nodded. The two of them moved to the exit and Hermione sighed deeply.  
  
Just as the both of them entered the Gryffindor common room, Dennis Creevey was about to exit. But he stopped and turned to them.  
  
"Do you know where Colin is? I've been looking everywhere for him! He wanted to tell me about some pictures he had made yesterday! And the day before yesterday! And the day before the day before yesterday! And probably the days before that one too!" Dennis asked fast and excited.  
  
"Er... " Harry started, but then, Seamus and Dean came walking up them as well.  
  
"Hey, Harry! Ron! We saw you take off with Hermione... any idea where Colin is?" Dean asked, patting Ron on the back.  
  
"He's probably taking pictures of Hermione again, isn't he?" added Seamus, grinning.  
  
Harry looked at Ron, he shrugged and answered; "Yeah, the two of them went to somewhere private... didn't they Harry?"  
  
Harry widened his eyes for a second and then slowly nodded. "Ye-yeah, yes, they did, they went somewhere private." His eyes questioning Ron.  
  
But before Ron could say anything, Dennis jumped up and down, screaming "Colin has a girlfriend! My brother's got a girlfriend!!"  
  
Harry clapped his hand against his head and Ron pressed his lips together. At that moment, Hermione entered the common room, followed by a fully revived Colin.  
  
"Hello...?" said Hermione, at the sight of everyone's widened faces and Dennis' grinning one.  
  
"You ... and what about ... I knew it!" said Seamus laughing, grabbing Dean's shoulder for support.  
  
"What do you know?" asked Hermione, now placing her hands on her hips and glaring at him.  
  
"About you and Colin of course!!" grinned Dennis widely.  
  
Hermione dropped her jaw.  
  
Sometimes, all Harry wanted to do was just run. To a place where no one could ever find him. This was one of those moments.  
  
Hermione did not scream nor did she laugh. She just crossed her arms and narrowed her eyes. "WHAT do you mean?" she demanded short and briskly.  
  
"You and Colin, about your relationship!" said Ginny, now getting into the conversation as well.  
  
"We don't HAVE a relationship!" cried Hermione.  
  
Ginny, Dean, Seamus and Dennis began to laugh and talk and Harry could hear Dean say "Yeah, right, denial!" and he quickly took a few steps back for Hermione walked past him and the crowd.  
  
"So, have you two been kissing?" asked Ginny curious while taking a step to Colin.  
  
Colin pressed his lips together and turned around "I'm going to bed!" and he went off.  
  
The next day the rumor had spread out and when Hermione entered the common room, everyone was staring at her, some of them with wide eyes, others with grins or smiles. Hermione threw her hair over her shoulder and walked out of the common room, down the stairs and corridors and entered the Great Hall.  
  
Harry and Ron were having a conversation about Quidditch, until Hermione joined them. She didn't talk to them and angrily opened her play book.  
  
"Hermione, we are sorry, we didn't mean to ..." Harry started, but Hermione merely threw him a glare. "No, of course you didn't! But you DID!"  
  
Ron mouthed "leave her be" to Harry, but Harry wasn't planning to argue about this. "No, you need to listen Hermione! We COULDN'T do anything else! You and Colin were both gone, so Dennis immediately made the link that you two were together, we just sort of ... agreed." tried Harry.  
  
Hermione sighed. "I'm not planning to argue... we have auditions after breakfast, remember?" she focused on the book again.  
  
The auditions took place in the Great Hall itself, after breakfast the first through fifth years moved out of it, leaving the sixth and seventh years.  
  
Someone with golden blonde hair, with white teeth and brilliant green robes, entered the Hall and made his way to the (just appeared) stage.  
  
Curiously, the sixth and seventh years gathered around the stage to get a better look of the person on the stage.  
  
"No..." gasped Ron at the wizard on the stage and Harry couldn't help but do the same. "It can't be..."  
  
"No, it isn't him." answered Hermione. "That person is not Gilderoy Lockhart, though the resemblance with him is almost perfect ..." she looked hypnotised at the wizard, who smiled, again revealing his white teeth.  
  
"Girls! Do not faint! I am not the one known as Gilderoy Lockhart; I am merely a fan of him." The wizard looked around, surveying his crowd with pronounced interest. "Now, let me introduce myself... I am Sylvester Lovehart, you may know me from my biography 'Seeing with Syl' or my books; 'Letting go the Loser, Training the Troll and, of course, Why Lockhart still Lives'. "  
  
"I'll bet 4 Galleons that Sylvester Lovehart isn't his real name!" whispered Ron to Harry.  
  
"4 whole Galleons? Your parents don't even own that much money!" sneered Draco behind them. Ron just wanted to turn around, but Lovehart started again;  
  
"Now, for the play! 'Hélas! J'ai Transfiguré mes Pieds! By Malecrit is one of the best plays ever written. I must point out to you, the second page, listing the names of the co-writers, including me, of course. Now, auditions. I'm going to read the parts out loud and they will choose you."  
  
"What? They will choose US? We don't get to choose them?" asked Neville in a terrified voice "then, what if the main part chooses me?" he gulped.  
  
"Cheer up Neville, I'm sure no main part will even be so stupid to choose you." said Draco out loud, followed by roars of laughter of Crabbe and Goyle.  
  
"As I was saying, I will read out the parts. Everyone, move more forward please, so you can not only hear me read, but also see me read." Lovehart smiled.  
  
Harry spotted Cho on the other side of the Hall. She was late and moved quickly towards them, carrying her copy of 'Hélas! J'ai Transfiguré mes Pieds'. She looked at him and Harry quickly focused on Lovehart again.  
  
"Firstly, the part of Madelin the 'beautiful' Witch, the one who gets hats for her birthday and turns into a toad after putting three hats on her head at the same time." He flicked his wand and said; "Madelin the Witch"  
  
An arrow of fire appeared in the air, pointing towards nobody else but Cho Chang.  
  
Cho clapped her hand in front of her mouth and the group of girls surrounding her began to congratulate her. Hermione sniffed.  
  
Before Lovehart could continue, the door opened again and 7 more students came walking in. Harry immediately recognized them as the Durmstrang lot, who appeared to be sorted in one of the houses just a few minutes ago. Viktor walked over to Hermione and smiled "Herm-my-ninny! I've been sorted in Gryvindor!" Hermione smiled and congratulated him.  
  
"Well, if everyone's ready? The next part, Germond the 'great' Sorcerer and Quidditch Champion. He's the one who's the hero, going to save Madelin and all of the people..." he flicked his wand.  
  
"Watch, I'm gonna get the part!" whispered Draco behind Harry's back. Harry just rolled his eyes.  
  
But the large arrow of fire didn't point at Harry, nor did it point at Draco. Instead, it pointed directly at Ron.  
  
"What the-?!?" Draco gasped, but Ron didn't seem surprised at all. Instead, he was grinning very widely, looking at Cho. Harry bit his lip. He had to feel happy for Ron right now and congratulate him. Hermione was already congratulating Ron so Harry did shortly after. He didn't feel really happy about Ron getting the part, in secret, he had hoped he would get the main part.  
  
"What do you MEAN this git is going to get the part of the QUIDDITCH champion? The moron can't even control his broom!" sneered Draco.  
  
Lovehart did not seem to pay attention. "Now, for the other main parts... Quizar the 'evil' Phantom. Not a very charming part, I must say." He flicked his wand. Another arrow appeared, this time; it wasn't a flaming one, but a misty, ghostly one, pointing at Draco.  
  
"Well, if I can't be the champion, make me the crusher of the champion..." muttered Draco.  
  
"Another big part, Aramald the Advisor, right hand of Germond." He flicked his wand, not seeming to get bored of the 'ooooh's and 'aaaaah's of the girls who seemed to have admiration for this trick.  
  
The flaming arrow appeared... in front of Harry, pointing directly at his face. Harry felt how the news sunk in. He was right hand of Ron. He looked at Hermione, who was shaking his hand and congratulating him. He grinned stupidly. Ron patted him on his shoulder and told him he had a great part.  
  
But Ron got to save someone. Ron got to be the hero.  
  
Without Harry paying attention, Lovehart had flicked his wand again and an arrow appeared, pointing to Hermione.  
  
Harry suddenly became aware of the silence surrounding them. Everyone was gaping at Hermione, who stood there, with a dropped jaw.  
  
"What part did you get?" asked Harry eagerly.  
  
Hermione closed her mouth and softly shook her head "No, I'm NOT going to sing!" 


	5. Roses are red

I'm not updating that much, I know, yadayadayada, this chapter is way shorter, I know, blahblahblah, GIVE ME A BREAK! I'm drowning in homework and not to mention, I've got a personal life!  
  
But, I won't drop the story. Updates still once a week.  
  
AND REVIEW!  
  
Chapter 5: Roses are red...  
  
"You what?" asked Harry confused. Everyone was still staring at Hermione in disbelief. Lovehart coughed.  
  
"For those who don't know yet, for those who have been foolish enough NOT to read the play... the part Miss..." he raised a questioning eyebrow at Hermione.  
  
"It's Hermione Granger!" she snapped.  
  
"Right, the part Miss Granger is going to play, Wendela the Woodfairy, is mainly a singing part." Lovehart said easily, revealing his perfect white teeth again. A few girls sighed dreamily.  
  
"Singing!?" gasped Ron and Harry at the same time and Hermione crossed her arms shaking her head.  
  
"I'm not going to sing. You can't make me!" she said stubbornly.  
  
Lovehart put his hand against his forehead and sighed deeply and dramatically. "Really, I didn't deserve this, did I? Okay, maybe they ARE just jealous, but surely, this is no way to treat me! I'm only human! (Well, actually I'm not, I'm part Veela, but still!) Being perfect isn't everything! It's a very hard life!"  
  
The whole crowd was staring silently at Lovehart.  
  
"Well it is!" he muttered, removing his hand from his forehead. Lovehart coughed and read out the next part. No one actually listened, until the arrow appeared and pointed at Viktor. Hermione raised her eyebrows.  
  
"What part did you get?" asked Harry curious.  
  
Viktor shrugged "Oven Vervolf . "  
  
"You did WHAT with your oven?" gasped Ron surprised.  
  
Viktor raised his eyebrows "I mean ... the part of Oven Vervolf!"  
  
"You took a part of your Oven ... wait a minute! That doesn't make sense!" said Ron, crossing his arms.  
  
Hermione, Harry and Viktor sighed together. "No, it doesn't." asked Harry sarcastically. Hermione frowned.  
  
"He means Owen Werewolf." She said, a little annoyed.  
  
"Well, why doesn't he say so?" asked Ron, causing Viktor to blush and Hermione to grind her teeth.  
  
"Vell, I... I vanted to say..." tried Viktor, but Hermione shook her head. Ron rolled his eyes at Harry.  
  
In the mean time, Lovehart finished giving everyone their parts. "The ones of you without a part, you will get to do a great honor. A once-in-a- lifetime opportunity!" he paused and looked around. All of the students were staring curiously.  
  
"You will get to assist ME!" he said triumphantly.  
  
All the girls (without a part) sighed dreamily and the boys (without a part) sniffed or crossed their arms. Hermione threw her hair over her shoulder. "Why did I have to get this part? It isn't fair!"  
  
"Why? Is it a problem that you can't drool over Lockhart... uh, Lovehart?" said Ron grinning.  
  
Hermione blushed and threw her hair back over her shoulder again. "Why would you care?"  
  
Before Ron could reply, Harry cut in; "Um, let's go, we have one hour until lunch."  
  
Harry, Hermione, Ron and Viktor walked out of the Great Hall, followed closely by Cho and some of her friends. Everyone seemed to be heading towards the library to practice their lines.  
  
"I'll just practise with your lines. I'm not going to do mine." Said Hermione, still irritated by her part.  
  
"Don't be such a baby. You should be lucky with your part!" said a voice from behind them. Hermione turned around and stood face-to-face with Cho.  
  
"I beg your pardon?" asked Hermione briskly.  
  
"You heard me. You should be happy with that part. I wouldn't give a know- it-all like you such a big part!" sniffed Cho.  
  
Hermione widened her eyes. "WHAT did you say, you spoiled, arrogant BRAT!?" she snapped, hands on her hips, looking furious at Cho.  
  
"Hermione!" cut Ron in.  
  
"Just like I said it! You already get enough attention, always being around Harry!" replied Cho to Hermione.  
  
"Leave her alone!" growled Viktor.  
  
"Ah, can't the know-it-all even defend herself?" asked Cho in a baby-voice, grinning darkly at Viktor.  
  
Viktor drew his wand and pointed it right at Cho's face. "Nobody, and that includes you, insults Herm-my-Ninny!"  
  
Cho took a few steps back, but suddenly Ron jumped in front of her. "You are NOT going to attack Cho!" he shouted at Viktor. Cho grinned satisfied.  
  
Harry frowned. He didn't know what to do. Everything was just happening in front of his eyes. Hermione slapped Ron in his face, turned around and ran away.  
  
Ron opened his mouth in surprise, Viktor put away his wand, still surveying the laughing Cho and Harry narrowed his eyes in thought.  
  
"Why did she do that?!" shouted Ron in disbelief, looking puzzled.  
  
"I believe that's clear." said Viktor, still focused on Cho.  
  
"Anyway, thanks Ron, I don't know what I would do without you. Right, I need to practise, so... " Cho paused and hesitated before asking "So, Ron, will you come with me? We can practice together!"  
  
Ron turned as red as his hair, nodded, forgetting everyone else. He followed Cho down the corridor.  
  
"Vell, what a nerve! I should have cursed that-" started Viktor.  
  
"Don't mind her. We need to get Hermione." Cut Harry in.  
  
Hermione ran into the common room, which was completely empty, except for a few first years and someone she'd rather not see; Colin.  
  
"Hermione! Finally! I was already afraid, that after our last shoot, you wouldn't want to be my girlfriend anymore!" he grinned.  
  
Hermione dropped her jaw. "Colin, I don't know what you've heard, but we AREN'T going steady! I don't even like you being around!!" she shouted at him, causing the first-years to leave the common room.  
  
*flash!*  
  
"Honey, I must say, you look lovely when you're mad." stated Colin from behind his camera.  
  
Hermione narrowed her eyes. "You HAVEN'T forgotten what happened YESTERDAY, now have you!?" she warned him.  
  
Colin smiled weakly. "I just remembered... Dennis needs... I'm gonna do homework!" and he left the common room.  
  
With the whole common room for herself, Hermione sighed and sat down into a chair next to the fireplace, which wasn't burning. Bored, she flicked her wand and flames appeared.  
  
Suddenly, she heard a girl's voice talking to the portrait of the Fat Lady. The Fat Lady was refusing to let her enter.  
  
Hermione, curious as she was, tapped on the portrait from inside the common room and it swung sideways, causing her to look straight into the eyes of Luna Lovegood. 


	6. Potions are blue

Here's another chapter!  
  
Keep reviewing, or I'll die. chapter 6: ...potions are blue...  
  
"Hermione Granger, hello." Said Luna as if she was checking Hermione's name.  
  
" ... Hi!" said Hermione, still surprised to see Luna so close by, but then she narrowed her eyes suspiciously. "What are you doing here? You're not in Gryffindor!"  
  
"How observant of you. I was just looking for Ronald Weasley." Replied Luna simply.  
  
Hermione frowned "What do you need that git for?"  
  
"Are you angry with him?" asked Luna surprised.  
  
"As a matter of fact, I am. But why are you looking for him?" Hermione asked, curiously.  
  
"I want him to go to the Christmas Ball with me." Answered Luna.  
  
"What ball?" asked Hermione, raising her eyebrows questioning.  
  
"You don't know about the Christmas Ball?"  
  
"Yes I do, but it's far from Christmas! You already want to ask him?"  
  
"Yes." Luna said simply. "So is he here?"  
  
Hermione frowned. "No... no, he's with Cho."  
  
Luna suddenly turned even paler as she already was. "So is he going with her...?"  
  
Hermione shook her head quickly. "No, not going... practising."  
  
Luna raised her eyebrows.  
  
"For the play! That's what I meant." Hermione assured her.  
  
"You don't seem to like Cho." Stated Luna, as she and Hermione walked down to the Great Hall for lunch.  
  
"Actually, I don't. She's really annoying me. I don't know why actually... "  
  
"I know why I don't like her." Said Luna, sitting down with Hermione at the end of the Gryffindor table, still not wanting to go to her own table. "She always gets all the attention."  
  
Hermione nodded. "All the attention. Everyone seems to love her."  
  
"Because she is pretty." Said Luna, glancing over to the Ravenclaw table.  
  
"Is she really that pretty to boys? I can't see what they like." Replied Hermione briskly.  
  
"She isn't pretty. Not from the inside. Her outside is like a mask. A very pretty but fake mask. I don't know why all the ugly people get to wear the pretty masks." Luna said vaguely.  
  
"So nobody sees they are actually ugly, I guess..." frowned Hermione.  
  
"Everyone should see how ugly she really is..." Luna suddenly widened her eyes, looking at Hermione.  
  
"What? You mean... Luna!" Hermione tried, but Luna got up and pulled Hermione off the bench, guiding her out of the Great Hall.  
  
"Luna! Whatever you think we're up to, we can get expelled for it!" tried Hermione again. Luna smiled and stopped in the middle of the corridor, turning to Hermione.  
  
"But she won't have her mask anymore! Think of it! Everyone, including Ronald, will see what she's really like!" Luna seemed to be very excited about it.  
  
Hermione bit her lip. Some part of her wanted to make a fool out of Cho very badly, but the other part didn't want to get expelled for having a laugh. She sighed and slowly nodded. "We'll do it. But I am not planning to get expelled for this."  
  
At the same time, Professor Snape entered the office of Professor Lupin.  
  
"Severus, what a surprise." Lupin smiled at him.  
  
"There is no surprise to it. Your potion." Snape put down a mug on the table, filled with a blue, foggy liquid. He looked at Lupin, expecting him to drink it immediately.  
  
"I'll drink it after I finished reading this chapter. You should read it, its pretty amusing." replied Lupin, waving at him with 'Hélas! J'ai Transfiguré mes Pieds!'.  
  
"I only read books of which I understand the subject. I don't read nonsense."  
  
"'Alas, I transfigured my feet!'" translated Lupin while closing the book.  
  
"You'll be much more than transfigured if you don't drink that now." Said Snape irritably.  
  
"Maybe even more when I DO drink it" Lupin replied, grinning taking the mug off the table.  
  
"You know about the possible side-effects. You are the one who had to return to Hogwarts... I have warned you, Lupin. It's not my fault if you will be... ah, unable to teach." Snape said, narrowing his eyes.  
  
"Or maybe it will be. I know how much you want this job. I don't know if I can trust you, but I don't think you would 'accidently' put in something that will bring my hairy friend alive again, now did you?" Remus grinned as he drank some of the liquid.  
  
"We need to hurry up. You've got to go to the practise in 15 minutes!" said Luna, while dragging Hermione into an empty classroom.  
  
"I'm not going to practise! I'm not doing the play!" said Hermione for the fifth time.  
  
Luna raised her eyebrows, her misty eyes sparkling even more than before. "Oh, you will. Someone needs to pour in the potion in her drink..." she began.  
  
"You're kidding, right?" asked Hermione, eyeing Luna closely. "I need to attend the play just to get a good laugh?"  
  
"Yes." Answered Luna simply, opening her bag and revealing a book without a cover. She flipped through it and stopped somewhere in the middle.  
  
"Okay. But let's not make it a waste. I really want her to look horrible." Said Hermione, leaning over the table to look at the page Luna was reading. "Oh my."  
  
The page was showing an image of a witch with hair all over her face and two enormous front teeth.  
  
"Looks like a beaver!" said Hermione and Luna nodded.  
  
"This would be perfect." Said Luna, grinning evilly.  
  
"You know, I never thought you could be like this..." said Hermione  
  
"We just both hate the same girl, and maybe I'm not that loony as everyone thinks I am." Replied Luna, flicking her wand so a cauldron moved closer.  
  
"No, you're not that loony. I'd say you're brilliant, coming up with this." Hermione said, reading the list ingredients.  
  
Lupin drank the last bit of the antidote and Snape walked out of the room with the empty mug.  
  
"Mmm, I feel less hairy already." Said Lupin to himself, preparing his first Defense Against the Dark Arts class, which would take place the next day.  
  
"There, that's the last ingredient. We're lucky this was all in the classroom and not in Snape's private closet." Said Hermione, adding the tail of a rat.  
  
The potion started to bubble, turning from yellow to orange, then to green and finally to a blue colour. A misty fog was hanging above it. Luna used her wand to pour some of the potion in a small mug. Hermione poured in some Pumpkin juice.  
  
"Now, I need to go to the practice I guess... I'll replace Cho's mug with this one at the table over there." Said Hermione.  
  
Luna wished her good luck and said she'd be watching after she had cleaned up the classroom. Hermione nodded and exited the room and went her way down the corridors.  
  
She entered the already crowded Great Hall and quickly replaced the mug which belonged to Cho (she knew Cho always sat at the same seat) with the mug containing the potion. Just as she got rid of Cho's empty mug, Harry came walking towards her.  
  
"Hey! We've been looking for you everywhere!" said Harry, a little concerned.  
  
Viktor came walking over as well "Herm-my-ninny, vhere have you been?"  
  
"I-I just remembered I had left my quill in a classroom... " she tried.  
  
Harry raised his eyebrows. "What are you talking about? We haven't had any classes yet, how wou-"  
  
Before Harry could finish; Professor Lovehart came walking onto the stage, followed by a bald wizard.  
  
He immediately recognised him as Professor Lupin. 


	7. You wanted feet

Another Chapter! Yay! I really have no idea how many there will be... probably 3 or 4 more I guess. Keep reviewing!  
  
Chapter 7: ... you wanted feet...  
  
"Professor LUPIN!?" Sneered Draco through the Hall at the sight of Lupin and everyone started laughing.  
  
Harry stood there, watching him with open mouth and even Hermione couldn't stop herself from laughing.  
  
"Right, er... I see you all like my new hairstyle. I came here to assist... Professor Lovehart... " Lupin looked frowning at Lovehart, who was combing his hair.  
  
"Right, well, let's see if everyone is here, shall we? I wouldn't want to be missing someone, that would give my lessons a bad reputation, now wouldn't it?" Lovehart looked around and smiled, showing off his white teeth while putting the comb in his pocket.  
  
The door opened once more and Cho and Ron came walking in. Hermione frowned at the sight of the two of them. Harry waved at Ron, but Ron didn't wave back at him.  
  
"I see everyone is here. No one's absent, that's a good sign. You all must be very anxious to get started, especially the ones with a main part... wonderfully written parts they are. Of course, I wrote them with a little help of Malecrit, though I must say I was the one who did all the work... " Professor Lovehart trailed off into a long story about 'his' play.  
  
"Did you practice, by the way?" asked Harry while Lovehart was giving away a solo act of how he met Malecrit, playing both himself and Malecrit.  
  
"No." Answered Hermione simply.  
  
"I've read vhat you need to sing." Said Viktor to Hermione, handing her over the script. "I've copied your lines"  
  
Hermione read the first few lines and frowned. "This seems to be a very serious song for such a ridiculous play!"  
  
"I know. I've read my lines. I don't like it; all I do is worship Ron... er... Germond." said Harry, glancing over to where Ron and Cho stood. He focused on Lovehart again.  
  
"... and that, my dear students, is the only way to stand up against it. After all, when you invent a mousetrap, nature will invent a smarter mouse."  
  
Harry had no idea what Lovehart had been talking about and looked at Hermione, questioning. She just shrugged and Lovehart coughed.  
  
"Well, I want to practice some scenes, let's begin with the first scene, now shall we? Me, myself and I- I mean... Professor Lupin, will help you out with your lines."  
  
"Okay, we'll need Germond the great Sorcerer & Quidditch Champion, Aramald the Advisor and Frankie the Hat Factory keeper." read Lupin out loud.  
  
Harry, Ron and Blaise Zabini, a boy from Slytherin, moved onto the stage.  
  
"Right, you can keep the script with it, but don't go reading everything. Just, try and act, from the inside, don't stand there with the expression of 'I was hired for my looks' because none of you were." Lovehart explained.  
  
Ron raised one eyebrow "No, because then we'd be imitating him."  
  
Harry wanted to laugh, but he was still quite angry with Ron as well. So he just paid attention to his script, which wasn't that interesting, since he only got three lines in this scene.  
  
"Okay... lights, me, action!" said Lovehart, crossing his arms.  
  
"Alas, what does my eye see there? Is it, perhaps, a hat? Fine fellow Aramald, can you see?" Ron started, trying to keep himself from laughing.  
  
"Right you are, oh Great Germond." said Harry, not even trying to convince himself to sound serious.  
  
"A very fine hat indeed, made with care! Let me introduce myself, I am Frankie, the hat Factory keeper!" said Blaise.  
  
"Ah, fine fellow, you must know me, Germond-" Ron stroke a pose where he put his hand on his hip and the other one behind his head "-the Great Sorcerer and Quidditch Champion!"  
  
"And I am Aramald, his Advisor." Droned Harry, really lacking the attention.  
  
"Travelers I see! I am afraid there is something wrong with my hats!" Blaise picked up a hat off of the floor.  
  
"Then, what is it, fine fellow?" asked Ron, immediately biting his lip to stop himself from laughing, which didn't work and he started laughing, causing everyone else to laugh as well.  
  
Everyone except for Lovehart.  
  
"I hope you aren't making fun of MY play!" shouted Lovehart at Ron, who was clutching his stomach.  
  
"Haha, I-I didn't know... I didn't know my character was gay, fine fellow!" Ron said between laughs.  
  
Lovehart widened his eyes and slapped a hand against his head. "Oh, you have the emotional range-"  
  
"Yeah, yeah, of a teaspoon. I know it." Finished Ron, finally stifling the laughter.  
  
"This won't work. I'll give you a short break to look over some of your lines." Lovehart said dramatically depressed, waving his wand around so the tables filled themselves with food and drinks.  
  
While everyone moved over to the tables, Professor Snape entered the Great Hall, walking over to Professor Lupin. "I've put down a mug with some more potion. This will get your hair back, though it looks... ah, refreshing." Snape turned around and walked away.  
  
Professor Lupin looked at the Ravenclaw table and saw a mug filed with a blue foggy liquid. He walked over and drank the whole lot.  
  
Cho came walking towards Ron, who had been standing with Harry, Hermione, Viktor, Blaise and some others.  
  
"Ron! How about sitting at my table while we have something to drink and eat during the break?" she asked in a sweet voice.  
  
Ron grinned and walked along with her to the Ravenclaw table, where Cho sat down on her usual place and Ron beside her. The other students sat down at their tables as well.  
  
The Slytherin table was whispering and gossiping about Lupin's appearance and Lovehart's ego.  
  
"Every so often, I like to go to the window, look up, and smile... for a satellite picture." Draco gave away an imitation of Lovehart, causing the Slytherins to laugh again.  
  
Hermione was crushing her cornflakes with her spoon, not actually paying attention to it. Harry was sitting opposite of her and raised his eyebrows.  
  
"Hermione, why are crushing your cornflakes... you're a cereal killer!" he said, grinning. Viktor laughed and Hermione smiled absently.  
  
In fact, she was focused on Cho. Cho hadn't touched her mug and by the looks of it, she wasn't planning on doing so either. Then, something surprisingly happened, which made her clap her hands in front of her mouth.  
  
Professor Lupin, who was standing beside the Ravenclaw table, just dropped his mug and made an awful sound. His whole face became covered in hair and Draco yelled something like "He's turning into a werewolf!" but that wasn't quite true. In fact, his front teeth became to grow and Hermione widened her eyes.  
  
He had drank the potion from Cho's mug!  
  
He quickly ran out of the Great Hall. The Slytherin table began to laugh hysterically loud and Hermione had no idea what to do. She looked at Harry, who looked confusingly and she looked at Viktor, who raised one eyebrow.  
  
At that moment, she heard a high-pitched scream from the Ravenclaw table.  
  
Cho dropped the mug she had been holding and looked terrified. It took everyone several moments to see what had actually happened: her hair was falling from her head. 


	8. Toads will do

Slightly shorter chapter than the previous, but I really am trying to update more often. The next chapter will be longer! And keep those reviews coming!  
  
Chapter 8: ...toads will do.  
  
But... how? Hermione didn't know exactly, but she guessed there had been another potion, one that was meant for Lupin and had got mixed up with Cho's somehow.  
  
Cho ran out of the Hall, covering her head with her hands. Ron got up and ran after her.  
  
Lovehart quickly moved to the stage "Now, now, everybody CALM down! I'm sure I have nothing to do with it. Now, due these, er... circumstances, we will schedule the next practice this evening after dinner." He quickly walked out of the Great Hall as well.  
  
Everyone was laughing and talking about Lupin and Cho.  
  
"I think he's actually a Vere-beaver instead of a verevolf!!" said Viktor between laughs.  
  
Hermione wanted to laugh about this all, but she couldn't. She stood up and walked out of the Hall.  
  
"Where are you going!?" yelled Harry after her, but she didn't reply.  
  
Just when Hermione was about to turn the corner, Colin came round it and took a picture.  
  
"YOU are the LAST person I want to see at the MOMENT!!" she shouted angrily at the camera.  
  
"But Hermione! I want to make an article about you and your part! It'll be fun! And, and, and you could sing something for me! Just for me! Hermione!" Colin begged her, but Hermione pushed him aside.  
  
"This isn't funny anymore, okay? You are getting on my nerves and you should be aware of that by now. Now, go away before I do something unpleasant!"  
  
Colin quickly ran out of the corridor as Hermione turned the corner.  
  
Luna was singing 'Weasley is our King' while drawing something in her notebook. Hermione entered the classroom and sat down opposite of her.  
  
"You look like something's wrong." stated Luna, without looking up from her notebook.  
  
"It didn't work! Something went wrong; two potions got mixed up... Lupin drank Cho's and Cho drank Lupin's." explained Hermione quickly.  
  
"Professor Lupin is a werewolf." said Luna, while closing her notebook.  
  
"I understand that, but how come there was another potion?"  
  
"Was Snape in the Great Hall?" asked Luna impatiently.  
  
"No... well, yes, but just for a few seconds... Oh! I get it! That potion, that was to stop Lupin from transforming into a werewolf! And that made him bald! And that made Cho loose her hair!" Hermione gasped.  
  
"So now we've got a DADA teacher that's a beaver and a bald Ravenclaw seeker. Hmm..."  
  
"What 'hmm'?" asked Hermione  
  
"... Well, Cho would be much faster on a broomstick without the hair slowing her down" Said Luna vaguely.  
  
"Er... right. Luna, I think we've done enough damage for today. Still want to ask Ron to the Christmas Ball?"  
  
"Yes. But he will go with Cho I predict." Luna said, a bit irritated.  
  
"Well, predicting was never a trustworthy way to make the future. You should just go for it. That is, if you want it." Said Hermione encouragingly.  
  
Luna raised an eyebrow "What's gotten into you? I'd almost say... you're in love, aren't you?"  
  
"Well, I just finally realized something." Hermione grinned.  
  
"Is it stupid to ask who?" asked Luna, surveying Hermione closely.  
  
"... Let's just say it's not Viktor. Now, are you coming or not?" replied Hermione grinning.  
  
"Coming to where?" asked Luna curiously.  
  
"You need to help me! I need to sing!" said Hermione, before exiting the classroom.  
  
"Wait! Since when are you actually bothering...? " Luna didn't finish but just followed Hermione.  
  
"Do you reckon Cho's got her hair back already?" asked Harry as he and Viktor made their way to the Gryffindor common room.  
  
"I hope not! Herm-my-ninny seems to hate Cho a lot." replied Viktor.  
  
"I guess she does, after what happened... I don't understand Ron either." Said Harry, looking over to the left where the staircases moved to another level. Two girls were moving up one of those stairs; Luna and Hermione.  
  
"Hermione! Luna... " Harry greeted them as the staircase connected with theirs.  
  
"Harry Potter and Viktor Krum!" said Luna cheerfully "Hermione is going to sing!"  
  
Harry raised his eyebrows at Hermione, "So, you're actually doing it?"  
  
Hermione nodded "Yeah, well, I just feel like doing it. It's probably good for my grades and maybe for my life experience... "  
  
Harry grinned and Viktor pointed at another staircase that connected with theirs. Ron came walking their way.  
  
"Okay Harry, ADMIT IT!" Ron shouted at Harry, who returned a questioning look. Ron rolled his eyes, "Don't act like you don't know what I'm talking about! YOU did it! You did that to Cho!"  
  
Harry's eyes narrowed "Give me ONE good reason why I should?"  
  
Ron gave him a dark look. "You are JEALOUS."  
  
"Of WHAT!?" demanded Harry.  
  
Hermione gave Luna a hopelessly lost look and Luna bit her lip. Viktor moved his hand into the pocket of his robe and Hermione could tell he was preparing to draw his wand.  
  
"OF ME!! Of ME getting the main part, ME getting the girl!! ME being the center of attention!" shouted Ron back.  
  
Harry looked at him silently, blankly. Then, he started laughing. "YOU think I care about that stupid PART in that idiotic play? I'd rather not participate in it at all! And I DON'T care about CHO! It's OVER between me and her, it's OVER! You can have her all you want! You can be in the spotlight all you want! I. DON'T. CARE." raged Harry at him.  
  
Before anyone could say something in reply, a frog hopped from a higher level onto their staircase. And another frog, followed by three more, came from the stairs Ron had come from. In fact, within seconds, frogs came walking down every stairway that ended on theirs. 


	9. Hermione's Song

I want to take some time to thank the people who have reviewed this story so far! So... thank you all!  
  
Roni yuy, your prayers have been answered. Lol, this is and stays h/hr! Thank you for your kind words, it keeps me going! And theKnowItAll, you're so sweet! (If any of you reviewers want to mail to me or add me to your msn; nanja21@hotmail.com)  
  
REVIEW! Chapter 9: Hermione's song  
  
At the same moment, Cho came walking over to them, with all her hair back. She smiled at Ron and then gave a high-pitched scream. "FROG!!" While pointing at Ron's head.  
  
Ron immediately shook his head and a frog fell off it, joining all the other frogs.  
  
"Wha-what are these... these THINGS doing here!?" shrieked Cho, grabbing Ron's arm tightly.  
  
Hermione rolled with her eyes and Viktor narrowed his. Before anyone could reply to Cho, Lovehart came running down one of the stairways.  
  
"No, no, no don't let them escape! Don't let the toads escape! TOADS ON THE STAIRS!" he shouted at them.  
  
"Professor, these aren't toads... they're frogs." Replied Hermione, crossing her arms.  
  
"Right... that's the problem. I need to transfigure them into toads! For the play!" Lovehart said, diving down to one of the frogs, but landing on his stomach and not catching it.  
  
Cho's eyes widened and she began shaking "WHAT have toads got to do with the play?" she asked.  
  
"Oh, the princess gets turned into a giant toad and everyone has toads as their feet, but that doesn't matter now, help me catch those things!" said Lovehart, getting up from the ground and quickly combing his hair with his hands. "You aren't expecting ME to catch all of those slimy beasts with my own two hands, now are you?" he said, looking at them.  
  
"The princess gets turned into a- what?" Cho asked, but didn't get her answer.  
  
"I vish I had never left Durmstrang," said Viktor sighing, while grabbing one of the frogs from the ground.  
  
"I wish I was a student at Durmstrang," said Hermione, levitating a few frogs in the air. "Where to put these?"  
  
"Somewhere far away please!" said Cho, still holding onto Ron's arm.  
  
"There's a big jar in my office, bring them there," said Lovehart, while walking away.  
  
"HEY!! Wait a minute!" Ron yelled at Lovehart's back, but he didn't turn around.  
  
"So, now WE'VE go to catch them?" cried Cho hopelessly.  
  
"How are we goi-," started Harry.  
  
"Colligo," said Luna bored, and all frogs formed a huge levitating frog- ball.  
  
Everyone dropped their jaws.  
  
"...er, great job Luna" said Ron, trying to free his arm from Cho's grip.  
  
Luna and Hermione walked up to Lovehart's office, levitating the frog-ball in front of them, Viktor and Harry continued to the Gryffindor common room and Ron and Cho walked down the stairs.  
  
"I vill use my teeth to rip you apart and vin that Legendary Quidditch cap... I mean cup!" Said Viktor with a very wrong and strange sounding British accent.  
  
Harry frowned, "No... try it more like you actually ARE the evil monster... don't say it like you are a puppy instead of a werewolf."  
  
"Puppy, good one. I am Oven the Vervolf!" tried Viktor again "And I vill use my teeth to rip you apart and vin that Legendary Quidditch-" He frowned "I giv up!"  
  
Meanwhile, Cho was still holding onto Ron's arm tightly and was looking around to make sure there weren't any frogs around.  
  
"Cho... I don't think Luna missed one with that spell of hers..." Ron tried  
  
"You TRUST Loony? I'm sure she hid one to make it attack me while I'm off guard!" Cho almost cried out.  
  
Ron quickly shook his head, "Sorry, ta-take it easy!"  
  
"No, you need to think before you say something. I hate toads." Cho muttered.  
  
"They were frogs" corrected Ron  
  
"Alright already! FROGS! Have it YOUR way!" yelled Cho angrily in his ear.  
  
"Recolligo" yawned Luna and the big ball of frogs exploded in the huge jar on Lovehart's table.  
  
"Wonderful!" smiled Hermione.  
  
"We still need to get you ready for tonight's practice... " Reminded Luna, while sitting down on Lovehart's desk. "Let's practice here!"  
  
Hermione shook her head "No... we can't do it here! What if someone walks in?"  
  
"So?"  
  
"Well, I wouldn't really like to sing in front of someone-" started Hermione.  
  
"But you must sing in front of all the people anyway," reminded Luna.  
  
"I forgot!" Hermione panicked, sitting down in one of the chairs in front of Lovehart's desk. "And now? Now what to do?"  
  
"Hermione... calm down." Said Luna simply, pressing her face to the jar of frogs. "You must be really in love..."  
  
"What do you mean?" asked Hermione, quite unsure of what Luna was stating.  
  
Luna was watching one of the frogs that was trying to get out of the jar, but couldn't, because of a charm. "Well, you seem to be forgetful these days. You seem more confused."  
  
Hermione kept her mouth shut.  
  
"And you're much more quiet."  
  
"I am?" asked Hermione surprised.  
  
"You are," Luna stated "Now, come ON!"  
  
Hermione waved with her wand and a piece of parchment appeared, her lines written down on it. "This is really-"  
  
"HERMIONE YOU ARE WEARING DOWN MY NERVES!" Shouted Luna at her, almost pushing over the jar of frogs.  
  
Hermione raised her eyebrows in shock "O-okay... I'll do it! Let me just find the right melody..."  
  
"You need to sing a song when Harry and Ronald walk through the forest and at the ending. Try the ending first."  
  
Hermione got hold of the parchment with a steadier hand and coughed a bit before singing:  
  
The old wound left on me begins to ache; I hide my trembling heart again and pretend to smile  
  
Even in my age now, I'm the same as before. As timid as before, I only learn how to pretend to be strong  
  
Little by little, I've come to realize that my past never heals, and that it's no use fearing the future I can't refuse  
  
How much more courage do I need to say with my head held high "This is the only important thing to me"?  
  
Luna nodded slightly, "You know, that was good."  
  
Hermione flushed. "It was?"  
  
"Sure thing. Try the other song."  
  
Freedom in the right hand, Love in the left! We'll walk on, embracing both, and stumbling from time to time.  
  
The coming of another, same morning is depressing. Suddenly, the square sky seems very empty.  
  
There have been days when suddenly I shed tears at daybreak. I told you while crying: people are short-lived, but they are strong. And I still have you, who will protect me.  
  
Freedom in the right hand, Love in the left! We'll walk on, embracing both, and stumbling from time to time...  
  
"Vervolf! Verevolf! Vervolf! Vervolv!" tried Viktor, while Harry read through his own lines. "Oh, I vorget it! Nobody vill understand me!" sighed Viktor hopelessly.  
  
"Want to trade? You worship Ron, I'll attack him." Harry asked, not looking up from his parchment.  
  
"Vell, I'm not that desperate." Decided Viktor, focusing on his lines again. "Verewolv!"  
  
"...and I'm sure Hermione made me loose my hair!" said Cho suddenly, as Ron and she sat down at the Ravenclaw table, (in a deserted Great Hall) "I mean, she's just jealous about me playing the princess!"  
  
Ron sighed and shrugged. "Maybe, but you shouldn-"  
  
"I should go to Dumbledore about this!" interrupted Cho.  
  
"You real-"  
  
"Maybe he can expel her or something!"  
  
"Cho, listen, I thi-"  
  
"But maybe I should wait for Professor Snape's reaction to this."  
  
"You rea-" Ron suddenly stopped. "You went to SNAPE about this?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"And you told HIM that HERMIONE did this to you?"  
  
"Well, yes, of course I did."  
  
Ron stood up and slammed his fist on the table. "THAT does it! You can't accuse Hermione from such a thing when you don't even know if it's true!"  
  
Hermione looked at Luna, hopefully, but before Luna could answer, someone else answered;  
  
"Miss Granger, very well indeed, but I do need to have a word with you... AND Miss Lovegood."  
  
It was Snape.  
  
A/N: lyrics taken from 'No way to Say' and 'Unite!' both from singer Ayumi Hamasaki. 


	10. Petrified & Pobolorgs

Oh, you all are EVER sooo kind! I never thought you'd think my story was good! So, thanks Princess Athelia, heather12345, pottersweetie and especially RoniYuy and ears91! (if you want the songs I'm letting Hermione sing, they are called 'Unite!' and 'No way to Say' and are sung by Ayumi Hamasaki. Just type her name at google or try any filesharing program)  
  
And Merry Christmas to all of you!  
  
Please, REVIEW!  
  
Chapter 10: Petrified & Pobolorgs  
  
Snape crossed his arms and eyed them suspiciously. "I heard, from certain people, that you two..." he narrowed his eyes, "have something to do with the... accident earlier today."  
  
Hermione widened her eyes and Luna pointed her wand at Snape. "Petrificus Totalus!" she said.  
  
Hermione widened her eyes even more as Snape looked like an imitation of a stone statue and fell over. "LUNA!!"  
  
"Yes?" asked Luna, putting her wand away and looking quite bemused.  
  
"WHAT DID YOU DO!? You CAN'T attack TEACHERS!!" Hermione gasped, completely in shock.  
  
"Why not?" Luna asked as she yawned.  
  
"LUNA!! What if he gets out!? What if some teacher finds him here!? What if- "  
  
The door opened and Professor Lovehart came walking in. Hermione kept her mouth tightly shut.  
  
Lovehart's eyes darted from Luna to Hermione and finally to Snape. "What... you two!" he said seriously, pointing at them.  
  
Hermione swallowed. "W-we can explain!!" she started desperately.  
  
"Really? Well, I was trying to say, that is the most authentic statue I've ever seen!" Lovehart looked at the petrified Snape again. If looks could kill, Snape's glare would have buried Lovehart 6 feet under. "Really, could you make one of me? You know I'd look marvelous... Oh, wait, I already look marvelous. Never mind, so, care to make-" he didn't finish, because Professor Lupin (restored to his usual old self) came walking in.  
  
"Some people are expecting you in the Great Hall... " Lupin began.  
  
"They are? Well, then it's time to make those people happy!" said Lovehart, smiling widely. "I'll see you, Hermione, at tonight's practice! And do think about it!" Lovehart walked out of the office.  
  
Lupin nodded at Snape's statue "Full Body Bind?" he asked while Snape continued to glare at Luna.  
  
"Er... " started Hermione, but Luna nodded proudly.  
  
"Look, we can explain, it all started wi-" tried Hermione, but Lupin had obviously not heard her, as he was cutting her off.  
  
"Just what he deserves, that slimy, greasy, old git."  
  
Hermione stared at him in disbelief, he mouth slightly opened while Snape's eyes turned to glare at Lupin.  
  
"Er... sorry, got carried away I suppose... " Lupin muttered quickly.  
  
"So... now what? Do we need to perform the counter curse? I mean... we are in kind of a hurry... " Said Hermione.  
  
"Just... leave him here," grinned Lupin, still very amused about the petrified Snape whose glare would have turned Lupin into a bloody mess if looks could kill.  
  
Luna and Hermione made their way out of Lovehart's office quickly.  
  
~*~  
  
"Now what? What if Snape's gonna get Hermione expelled!?" shouted Ron at Cho.  
  
"I'd love to see the look on her face when that happens! The little, evi-"  
  
"STOP it, okay? Just, stop it! I'm sick of you complaining and suspecting other people, especially my friends!"  
  
"Oh, so now she's your friend again? After all she did to me!?" shouted Cho.  
  
"Forget it." said Ron and he walked away.  
  
~*~  
  
"I'm going to check if there are any Pobolorgs in the girl's bathroom, I'll watch you at the rehearsal!" said Luna. Hermione knew better than to say Pobolorgs didn't exist and just smiled.  
  
Luna walked down a corridor, her eyes casted downward, searching for Pobolorg trails, when she bumped up against someone and fell back to the floor.  
  
That someone had been Ron. "Luna! I'm sorry!" he said, while helping her back to her feet.  
  
"You look... pretty angry... " said Luna, eyeing him suspiciously.  
  
"... I am" he sighed. "Because of Cho."  
  
"What did she do to you!?" demanded Luna immediately.  
  
"Well... she thinks Hermione's responsible for that hair-accident and she told Snape... " he explained.  
  
"Hermione's not responsible..." began Luna.  
  
"That's what I told her! But she wouldn't listen!" replied Ron.  
  
"No... Hermione's not the only one responsible... I'm involved too. And Snape's is in the full body bind, Lupin's up in Lovehart's office, laughing his head off, Lovehart thinks Snape's a statue of Snape and I was just looking for Pobolorgs..."  
  
Ron blinked.  
  
"Not that I found any yet!" Luna added quickly.  
  
Ron blinked again and shook his head "Sorry, but did you just say that you and Hermione ARE responsible for that accident?"  
  
Luna nodded absently, "Yeah... I think there's one in the girl's bathroom"  
  
Ron frowned, "Excuse me?"  
  
Luna looked at him as if he was insane, "a Po-bol-org!"  
  
"Right... "  
  
"I'd love to talk another time," Luna said, while passing him, "Really love to..." she entered another corridor.  
  
~*~  
  
Hermione entered the Gryffindor common room, to find a sleeping Viktor (snoring loudly in the chair next to the fireplace) and a studying Harry.  
  
"Hermione! Got rid of the toads? I mean, frogs?"  
  
"Yeah, Luna's a genius in levitating things... and she jinxed Snape." she added as a-matter-of-factly.  
  
"She did... WHAT?" Harry asked bemused, closing his textbook (Sense and See like a Centaur, by Cassandra Vablatsky).  
  
"It's bad, isn't it?" sighed Hermione depressed as she sat down in the chair opposite of him.  
  
"But... why?" he asked.  
  
Hermione gave him a hopeless look. "You want to know for sure?" she paused and Harry folded his hands. "Luna and I did the hair-thing..."  
  
Harry dropped his jaw and gazed at her. "No WAY!"  
  
Hermione nodded. "And the worst thing is... I don't feel guilty at all."  
  
Before Harry could reply, someone jumped from behind a chair, rolling up a piece of parchment and grabbing his camera: Colin.  
  
"This'll make the FRONT page!" he said, as he made a picture.  
  
"Oh no it won't!" said Ron from behind him, "Not until you've also written down that she is the most unreliable, sneaky, filthy and worst friend I ever had!"  
  
"Ron...?" asked Hermione.  
  
"You! You are evil! I defended you! I stood up against Cho and told her she was wrong, that you hadn't done it!" shouted Ron at her.  
  
Viktor woke up and frowned, "Vhat is going on?"  
  
"I-" Hermione stood up, "-was just leaving!" and she made her way out of the common room. 


	11. The Rehearsal part one

A/N sorry, this is a shorter chapter than the previous, but I will update soon. To all my reviewers, a happy new year (if I don't update before it's 2004 that is) and please, keep the reviews coming. You know I love them to bits! - Nanja Chapter 11: the Rehearsal, part 1  
  
Hermione made her way down a corridor, ignoring everyone she met on her way. She was angry, but especially feeling guilty towards Ron. She had nothing to do but to find Cho and apologize, although she rather jump off a cliff.  
  
Time was working against her and she hadn't found Cho when she suddenly remembered she had to go to the rehearsal, which would start that evening, in the Great Hall. Because Hermione had missed dinner, she had not seen Ron and Cho making up, but by the looks of it, they were friends again.  
  
Harry was sitting strangely far away from Ron, and was practicing his lines with Viktor. Hermione decided it was best to join them.  
  
"Hi" said Hermione, taking her place next to Harry, opposite of Viktor.  
  
"Hey... how are you?" asked Harry, with his eye on Ron and Cho.  
  
"Oh... well, you know, feeling miserable of course. I mean... not only what I've done to Cho, but I also feel guilty towards Ron..."  
  
"You mustn't veel guilty vor him" said Viktor from behind his book.  
  
Before either Hermione or Harry could reply, Lovehart appeared on the stage, clearing his throat. "Well now, good to see you all back here. Let us hope no accidents will appear among us the evening," he paused and showed off his white teeth. "We'll practice the entire play this evening, so I call forward for the first scene: Ron Weasley, Harry Potter and Blaise Zabini."  
  
Harry threw Hermione one last concerned look and he went onto the stage. Hermione sighed and looked at Viktor, who eyed her closely and bemused.  
  
Hermione raised her eyebrow and Viktor whispered, "Him?"  
  
"How...?" Hermione whispered back, very shocked.  
  
"Instinct," muttered Viktor absently as he watched the people on the stage play. Hermione followed his lead.  
  
"Next scene, Ron Weasley, Draco Malfoy, Neville Longbottom, Cho Chang and Harry Potter. Oh, and just so you know, you-" Lovehart pointed at Cho "- need to learn a concealing charm. You must conceal yourself and then place the toad from your pocket onto the stage, mind you, after I've used the Engorgement charm of course, so it becomes bigger..."  
  
Cho gulped. "What TOAD?" she asked shaking.  
  
Lovehart waved off the question with, "The one you'll be carrying around in your pocket," and clapped his hands.  
  
Draco smirked as he brushed some of his hair out of his face. He threw Ron a hateful look and ignored Harry.  
  
"Good fellow Amarald! Do my eyes betray me, or does that lad hold a hat, perhaps, the same as my eyes have noticed before in the hat factory?" came Ron's voice, looking at Cho, while he should be looking at Harry.  
  
Harry sighed deeply and tried to act with feeling, but his eyes had traveled towards Hermione, who was watching Viktor in disbelief.  
  
*  
  
"Instinct?" asked Hermione, now leaning over the table a bit, to catch Viktor's attention.  
  
"Instinct. There has been a lot ov chemistry between you two," he replied, his eyes mildly focused on the stage.  
  
Hermione sat back again. "So. Chemistry? He doesn't even notice me. For all I know, he might have a crush on Cho..."  
  
Viktor now turned to her, raising his eyebrows. "Then ask him to the Christmas ball! Do something! Don't ask me to judge someone's veelings!" he snapped at her irritably.  
  
Before Hermione could reply, it was Viktor's turn to rehearse and Harry sat down on his place.  
  
Hermione stared blankly at her hands.  
  
"What's wrong?" came Harry's voice.  
  
She shook her head absently, trying to recall Viktor's words... 'There has been a lot ov chemistry... '  
  
"Hermione!" said Harry, and she snapped out of it.  
  
"Sorry... I was thinking," she said as her eyes darted to the stage, where Viktor and Draco were rehearsing.  
  
"It's Cho, right? And Ron, am I right?" said Harry, not taking his eyes off of her.  
  
"Yeah," sighed Hermione, seeing Viktor tripping over his lines "And Colin, and Luna, and Snape, Lovehart, Lupin..." she focused her gaze at him, "...you..." she added.  
  
Harry raised his eyebrows "Me?"  
  
Hermione shook her head again, wanting to say what bothered her so badly, but retrieving from that state before saying anything.  
  
"Just everything. Why's everyone so... different?" she asked, now staring at her hands again.  
  
"Probably the play," replied Harry, still eyeing her closely.  
  
"No... not just the play. Maybe it's the routine. Not having classes... not doing homework... I think it's affected on our... feelings," she said, now watching Cho grab Ron's arm and laughing out loudly.  
  
Harry followed her gaze and looked at her again, with a weird, unsure expression on his face. "Hermione..." he started, "Are you saying you're in love... with Ron!?"  
  
Hermione opened her mouth to reply, but Lovehart called out both their names (and Ron's) to practice the next scene.  
  
"They always told me I was as great of a writer as I was of a singer, so if you don't get your voice to that perfection as mine, I'll be glad to give you some exclusive private lessons." Lovehart told Hermione, who's eyes were fixed on Harry's, trying to give him an answer.  
  
As Ron shouted "Fine fellow!" Harry broke the eye contact with Hermione and Hermione felt as if something heavy just hit her in the stomach.  
  
Harry replied his lines to Ron absently, loathing every bit of the guy who was standing in front of him. He didn't know why, but somehow he felt like giving up the whole play. He realized it was Hermione's turn to talk, and she called out her lines just as bored as he had, still trying to get eye contact with him.  
  
Finally giving up on that part, Hermione remembered she had to sing now.  
  
"Freedom in the right hand, Love in the left! We'll walk on, embracing both, and stumbling from time to time.  
  
The coming of another, same morning is depressing. Suddenly, the square sky seems very empty.  
  
There have been days when suddenly I shed tears at daybreak. I told you while crying: people are short-lived, but they are strong. And I still have you, who will protect me.  
  
Freedom in the right hand, Love in the left! We'll walk on, embracing both, and stumbling from time to time..."  
  
Harry listened and found himself ignoring every thought in his head that had to do with either Hermione or Ron, or both of them.  
  
When she had finished, Hermione walked off from the stage, shaking her head as if something had went terribly wrong. She didn't even notice the remarks and compliments she got from people for her singing, as all she could think about was Harry, and that she had to answer his question.  
  
That she had to tell him it was him, not Ron, who she loved. 


	12. The Rehearsal part two

A/N: OMG!!! I am sooooooooooooooooo sorry! There is no way you people will ever forgive me for this! See, my beta-reader is NOT responding nor beta- reading my chapters anymore, so I've decided to upload them WITHOUT them being beta-read. I know, sorry if there are many grammar mistakes in the next chapters...  
  
This chapter is also a bit shorter, but the next chapter will be long. I promise. – Nanja  
  
p.s. will you still review?  
  
chapter 12: the Rehearsal, part 2  
  
Suddenly, Cho came sitting across Hermione, eyeing her strangely and suspiciously.  
  
Hermione raised her eyebrow "What?" she asked, a little brisk.  
  
Cho returned a dark look. "You love him."  
  
"Who?" asked Hermione, dumbstruck.  
  
"Ron," replied Cho, still eyeing her suspiciously.  
  
Hermione frowned. "Please!"  
  
"What please? I heard you talking to Harry!" Cho replied, her hands becoming fists. "And that is why YOU tried to get me out of the way!"  
  
"Out of the way!?" Hermione narrowed her eyes "Look, I don't know what you want exactly, but I am NOT in love with Ron, go ahead, have him."  
  
Cho narrowed her eyes as well. "I don't believe you!" she replied.  
  
Before Hermione could reply properly, Colin joined their conversation: "One time from the beginning? It's for the school newspaper."  
  
Both Hermione and Cho raised their eyebrows. "We don't have a school newspaper," they said together.  
  
"We have. Are going to have. I hope. You two-"he folded open a piece of parchment, "will do great as frontpage news." Colin placed his quill on the piece of parchement and nodded. "You can start now, I'm ready."  
  
"Frontpage? Wait a second, WHAT are you planning?" demanded Cho, looking from Colin to Hermione.  
  
"I have nothing to do with this, believe me, I want to keep him as far away from me as possible," assured Hermione. She looked at Colin. "Well, what ARE you planning?"  
  
"Well, apparantly, you both love Ron." Colin replied simply.  
  
"LOVE RON!?" Cho and Hermione belowed together.  
  
On the stage, Ron and Harry both looked around, very bemused and Lovehart shouted: "Keep your eyes on the stage or on me!"  
  
"I don't love Ron!" yelled Cho at Hermione.  
  
"Well, I don't love him either!" yelled Hermione back.  
  
"Wow... this is getting interesting. Could you two stand up and lean over the table and pull eachother's hair out and stuff? That would make a great picture!" Colin said.  
  
Hermione and Cho turned to Colin, both looking furious and ready to kill.  
  
"Keep out of it!" shouted Cho.  
  
"I would want to do that..." said Colin, suddenly sounding very dark, "but don't forget I could also publish that OTHER story... Cho."  
  
Cho stopped shouting at Hermione and turned pale. Her ams hung weak beside her body and her gaze was fixed at Colin: she seemed very afraid of him. "No... you wouldn't do that!"  
  
Hermione raised her eyebrows.  
  
"I will if you won't let me publish this story! I want an interview with both of you!" Colin demanded.  
  
"An interview? About what? And what other story?" asked Hermione suspiciously.  
  
"An interview about your love lifes!" said Colin cheerfully.  
  
"No way. Publish that other story then." Hermione said, narrowing her eyes at him and crossing her arms.  
  
"No, we're going to do that interview," decided Cho.  
  
Hermione raised her eyebrows again. "Excuse me? Who are you to decide that? I am NOT going to inform that... parasite with the details of my love life!"  
  
"We're going to do that interview! Wheter you like it or NOT!" Cho shouted.  
  
Hermione eyed her for a few seconds and than leaned towards her. "You don't want him to publish that other story... because it's about you, isn't it?"  
  
Cho became pale and stared at Hermione with fear. "N-no.. I'm telling you... that's not the reas-s-son..."  
  
"It isn't? Well, you must be very desperate to tell him about your lovelife then? I can see no other rea-"  
  
"Quit it! Okay, so the story is about me! But you have to give him that interview! I don't want anyone to know about this!" Cho cut her off.  
  
Hermione crossed her arms. "Only if I get to know what that other story is about."  
  
Cho eyed her with fear.  
  
Hermione shrugged. "Have it your way. Either tell me or let him publish. I'm going to find out anyway."  
  
Colin grinned at Cho.  
  
Cho screwed up her face and stood up. "You're getting that interview, Colin." She looked at Hermione. "First thing tomorrow."  
  
"You're coming?" Ron's voice asked Cho. Apparantly, the rehearsal had ended. Cho stood up, eyeing Hermione warningly as she walked away.  
  
Hermione searched for Harry, but he had left already. She saw Viktor and decided to walk along with him. Viktor seemed to be very irritated about something and suddenly started a conversation.  
  
"So, now you are in love vith Ron?"  
  
"Wah-?" Hermione stared at Viktor, not quite getting him. "No! I am not in love with him! I thought you were the one who noticed I was in love with Harry in the first place!"  
  
Viktor shrugged. "I don't know girls that vell, they change their opinions pretty ovten."  
  
"I'm not in love with Ron. I'm in love with Harry, only the whole school seems to think I'm in love with Ron! Any IDEA how frustrating that is?" Hermione cried out.  
  
"Vhy don't you just tell Harry you love him?" Viktor replied simple, messing his hair up.  
  
"I really tried to do that... OF COURSE!" Hermione clapped her hand in front of her mouth.  
  
Viktor gave her a questioning look. "Vhat?"  
  
"The interview!" Hermione said, looking extremely happy. 


End file.
